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Eddy County legislators ranked high in 'freedom index'

Current-Argus staff reports

Posted:
04/08/2014 07:59:40 PM MDT

SANTA FE >> Artesia State Rep. Bill Gray has the best reputation in the New Mexico House of Representatives, according to the Rio Grande Foundation. The conservative think tank, based in Albuquerque, said Gray received the highest "freedom percentage" in its annual tallying of legislators' impacts on freedom in New Mexico. Gray had a score of 34 for the 2014 Legislative Session, earning the top spot in the House. Carlsbad State Rep. Cathrynn Brown, meanwhile, ranked third in the index.

The Rio Grande Foundation ranked legislators by tracking bills throughout the legislative session. According to a news release, bills were weighted according to their impacts on freedom. The most important vote, according to the foundation's news release, was SJR 13, which would have increased the state's minimum wage. The second most heavily weighted vote was Senate Bill 347, which tapped the state's general fund for the lottery scholarship program.

"New Mexico's budget grew faster than it should have and the lottery scholarship fix left a lot to be desired, but no major harm was done to the taxpayer during the 2014 session," said Rio Grande Foundation President Paul Gessing in the news release. "Hikes in the mandated minimum wage were killed as were myriad plans to increase the size and scope of government through the Constitutional process."

Gessing said the organization was disappointed that no serious legislative efforts were made to reform the state's "burdensome" tax code, reduce regulatory obligations, increase school choice or broaden transparency efforts.